Underwater Submersion Installation

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns an underwater immersion installation ( 10 ) comprising at least one immersion pod connected to means ( 16, 18, 20 ) for lifting and lowering same, and an assembly of breathing and acoustic attachments borne by the pod ( 14 ) and separable therefrom when the pod is immersed, each breathing and acoustic attachment including a headgear mounted on a vest urged to be positioned on the chest of a user and being provided with a conduit supplying the headgear with air delivered from the surface and listening/communication means connected to complementary means.

The present invention relates to an underwater submersion installation.

The object of this invention is to enable any person to achieve underwater submersion safely and without being an experienced swimmer and, if appropriate, to follow a prepared route.

The document FR-A-2808768 already describes an underwater submersion installation of this type which includes at least one submersible pod connected to means for raising and lowering thereof and a set of breathing units which include a helmet mounted on a jacket positioned on the user's thorax and which are provided with a pipe for supplying the helmet with air delivered from the surface.

Thus the lowering and raising are carried out passively for the users who remain on the pod during these phases.

The object of the invention is to propose various improvements to this installation. To this end the invention relates to an underwater submersion installation, characterised in that it includes at least one submersible pod connected to means for raising and lowering thereof, and a set of breathing and audio units which is carried by the pod and can be detached therefrom when the pod is submerged, each breathing unit comprising a helmet mounted on a jacket which is positioned on the user's thorax and being provided with a pipe for supplying the helmet with air delivered from the surface and audio/communication means connected to complementary means at the surface.

According to particular embodiments, the installation according to the invention may include one or several of the following characteristics:

-   -   each jacket is equipped with removable and modifiable weighting         means of which the weight is at least equal to the pressure         which is exerted on the breathing and audio unit and on the user         when submerged;     -   the raising means comprise a set of cables connected by one end         to the pod and equipped at the opposite end with a counterweight         having a mass at least greater than that of the pod and of its         occupants, and a winch for control of the raising and the         lowering of the pod;     -   the winch can be actuated by motorized means and/or manually by         an operator;     -   each breathing and audio unit is equipped with a bracket         provided with removable fixing means for rapid attachment of the         said brackets on a support fixedly joined to the pod;     -   the installation further comprises means for raising and         lowering the support for the breathing and audio units with         respect to the pod;     -   the said means for raising and lowering of the support are         formed by the said means for raising and lowering of the pod,         which comprise a first manoeuvre of lowering the breathing and         audio units into an active position in which the jackets are         positioned at the level of the users' thorax and a second         manoeuvre for submersion of the pod;     -   the pod carries a number of seats corresponding to the number of         breathing and audio units and means for adjustment of the height         of the seats;     -   the installation further comprises a floating platform on which         are mounted the means for raising and lowering of the pod, means         for supplying the breathing units with air and complementary         audio means;     -   the means for supplying the units with air comprise compressed         air bottles or a compressor;     -   the platform is provided with means forming an extinguisher;     -   the installation comprises a plurality of pods each associated         with means for raising and lowering and with one or several sets         of breathing and audio units; and     -   each pipe is suspended from a buoy or a boom.

Other characteristics and advantages will become apparent from the following description which is given solely by way of example and with reference to the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows an overall view of a submersion installation according to the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a detail of the installation of FIG. 1 showing the submersible pod,

FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of the breathing and audio unit carried by the pod of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of an underwater submersion installation according to the invention functioning as an elevator.

In FIG. 1 a general overall view of an underwater submersion installation according to the invention is shown, designated by the general reference numeral 10.

The installation 10 is principally formed by a floating platform 12 made for example from weighted aluminium and preferably of the catamaran type in order to obtain good lateral and transverse stability for the assembly. This installation can be fixed and positioned on the side of a pool or basin. In this case it is not provided with a platform (not shown).

This platform comprises safety means such as means forming an extinguisher 12 a.

The platform 12 supports a submersible pod 14 which is movable with respect to the platform 12 between an upper position shown in FIG. 1 and a lower submerged position (not shown).

The pod 14 is supported by a set of cables, such as 16, connected to means for raising and lowering of the pod 14, formed by a motorised or manual winch 18, and by a counterweight assembly, such as 20, of which the mass is greater than that of the pod 14 and the occupants thereof, it such a way as to load it in the upper position.

As can also be seen in FIG. 2, in which a detail of the platform 12 is shown, the pod 14 carries an assembly of seats, such as 22, on which the users of the installation 10 take up their positions.

Moreover, the pod carries a set of breathing and audio units 24 shown in detail in FIG. 3.

As can be seen in this FIG. 3, each set of breathing and audio units 24 comprises a helmet 26 mounted on a jacket 28 intended to be positioned on a user's thorax.

The jacket 28 is provided with retaining straps (not shown) which make it possible to retain the units in position on the user.

Each unit is moreover provided with a bracket 30 which is fixed on a support 32 borne by the pod 14, by the use of removable rapid attachment fixing means 34, of the type having pincers for example, in order to facilitate these operations.

Moreover, each breathing and audio unit is provided with a pipe 36 for supplying the helmet 26 with air, this pipe being supplied with air from the surface, that is to say from the platform 12, the air inlet being situated in front of the pipe in order to avoid the formation of mist in the bottle.

More specifically, each pipe 36 is supplied with air by means of compressed air bottles (not shown) situated on the platform 12 or by means of a, compressor, as the case may be.

Moreover, the pipe 36 comprises an audio cable 36 a extending between audio means of the helmet and complementary means at the surface.

This cable then makes it possible to connect the corresponding helmet to the surface in order to transmit to the helmet for example background music or information coming from the surface.

Moreover, the pipe 36 is suspended for example by way of means for attachment 36 b to a buoy 36 c or a boom (not shown) making it possible to retain this pipe in a substantially vertical orientation and to prevent the pipes from becoming tangled, which makes it possible to improve the safety of use of the installation.

Moreover, the jacket 28 of the breathing and audio units is provided with weights, such as 40, at the front and back and with a weighted border 42, regularly distributed on the front face 44 and rear face 46 of the jacket 28 in pockets of the jacket in such a way as to prevent the user's body from overbalancing. The border may for example be weighted with lead balls.

The total mass of the front and rear weights 40 and of the border 42 is preferably chosen in such a way that their weight is at least equal to, the buoyancy acting on the breathing and audio unit and old the user wherein submerged.

For example, the weights 40 and the border 42 have a total mass of 50 kg.

With further reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, as indicated previously the installation 10 is provided with means for raising and lowering of the pod 14 comprising a set of cables, such as 16, connected by one end to the pod 14 and equipped at the opposite end with a counterweight 20, and a winch 18 which can be actuated by motorised means and/or manually by an operator ensuring the control of the raising and the lowering of the pod.

It will be noted, however, that the installation 10 is provided with complementary means which ensure the raising and the lowering of the support 32 for the breathing and audio units 24 between an upper position (not shown), allowing the installation of the users on the seats 22, and a lower position, in which the breathing and audio units 24 and in particular the jackets 28 are positioned in such a way as to be flush with the shoulders of each user or to be slightly above these latter.

Such an installation enables users to better support the entire weight of the breathing and audio units 24 when the pod 14 is not submerged.

These means for raising and lowering of the support for the breathing and audio units are preferably formed by the means for raising and lowering of the pod 14.

To this end, the counterweights 20 comprise two counterweight assemblies 20-A and 20-B respectively which belong respectively to the means for raising and lowering of the support 32 and to the means for raising and lowering of the pod 14.

More specifically, when the breathing and audio units 24 are situated in the low position, that is to say at the level of the users' thorax, the first counterweight assembly 20-A abuts the second counterweight assembly 20-B.

This in this position the support 32 for the breathing and audio units 24 comes to rest on the pod 14 displacement of this latter resulting in displacement of the breathing units.

The installation 10 which has just been described operates as follows.

At rest the pod 14 and the support 32 for breathing and audio units 24 are in the upper position.

After installation of the users on the seats 22, the winch 18 is actuated for a first manoeuvre until the breathing and audio units 24 are situated in the lower position.

As mentioned previously, in this position the units are resting on the pod 14 and are not carried by the users.

During a second phase, the winch 18 is actuated in such a way as to submerge the pod 14 until this latter is situated in the lower position, for example at a depth of 3 metres.

During lowering, the users remain seated on the seats 22 and breathe the air delivered from the compressed air bottles (or from the compressor) situated on the platform 12 by means of the pipes 36 and are in audio communication with the surface by way of the audio means (for example microphone and helmet).

An independent diver then unlocks the brackets 30 of the support 32.

The users can then move about easily on the sea bed.

It will be noted that the weight of the counterweights, 40 and 42, arranged in such a way as to position the centre of gravity of the units 24 level with the abdomen of the users renders the assembly very stable and enables users to walk on the sea bed whilst being able to move freely.

In order to bring the users back up the users are seated on the seats 22 and the independent diver locks the brackets 30 on the support 32.

Finally, the winch 18 is actuated again for a first manoeuvre in such a way as to reposition the pod 14 in the upper position and for a second manoeuvre during which the units 24 are raised in such a way as to enable the occupants to extricate themselves therefrom.

It will be appreciated that the invention which has just been described enables anyone to achieve an underwater dive without needing to be an experienced diver in so far as the operations of lowering and raising are carried out by means of the pod, and in so far as the counterweights borne by the jackets are adapted to enable them to walk on the sea bed whilst making it possible to remain in contact with the surface.

It will be noted, however that the invention is not limited to the described embodiment.

In fact, in the embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, it has been considered that the installation 10 enables people to be submerged and to walk on a sea bed.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, this installation can also be used in a private context, in particular in a pool or basin.

In this case, the means for raising the units and supplying them with compressed air are positioned on the side of the pool or basin, this installation having no platform.

It is possible for example to use two independent pods, such as 48 and 50, connected to means for controlling the raising and lowering thereof, formed for example in this case by pneumatic motor means.

The pods can be actuated according to staggered cycles, that is to say that when one of the pods is situated in the upper position the other pod is situated in the lower position.

Moreover, a plurality of banks of breathing and audio units can be associated with each pod in such a way that several groups of people can be taken charge of simultaneously.

In this case, when one of the pods reaches the lower position and the occupants are disembarked from it, the pod is raised again in such a way as to receive a further bank of breathing and audio units and to taken charge of a further group of users.

After the further group of users has been lowered the first group of users is raised again and another group of users is then taken on. 

1-13. (canceled)
 14. Underwater submersion installation (10), characterised in that it includes at least one submersible pod (14; 48, 50) connected to means (16, 18, 20) for raising and lowering thereof, and a set of breathing and audio units (24) which is carried by the pod (14; 48, 50) and can be detached therefrom when the pod is submerged, each breathing unit comprising a helmet (26) mounted on a jacket (28) which is positioned on the user's thorax and being provided with a pipe for supplying the helmet with air delivered from the surface and audio/communication means connected to complementary means at the surface.
 15. Installation according to claim 14, characterised in that each jacket (28) is equipped with removable and modifiable weighting means (40, 42) of which the weight is at least equal to the pressure which is exerted on the breathing and audio unit and on the user when submerged
 16. Installation according to claim 14, characterised in that the raising means comprise a set of cables (16) connected by one end to the pod and equipped at the opposite end with a counterweight (20) having a mass at least greater than that of the pod and of its occupants, and a winch (18) for control of the raising and the lowering of the pod.
 17. Installation according to claim 14, characterised in that the winch (18) can be actuated by motorised means and/or manually by an operator.
 18. Installation according to claim 14, characterised in that each breathing and audio unit is equipped with a bracket (30) provided with removable fixing means for rapid attachment of the said brackets on a support (32) fixedly joined to the pod (14; 48, 50).
 19. Installation according to claim 14, characterised in that it further comprises means for raising and lowering the support (32) for the breathing and audio units with respect to the pod.
 20. Installation according to claim 19, characterised in that the said means for raising and lowering of the support are formed by the said means (16, 18, 20) for raising and lowering of the pod, which comprise a first manoeuvre of lowering the breathing and audio units into an active position in which the jackets are positioned at the level of the users' thorax and a second manoeuvre for submersion of the pod.
 21. Installation according to claim 20, characterised in that the pod carries a number of seats (22) corresponding to the number of breathing and audio units and means for adjustment of the height of the seats.
 22. Installation according to claim 14, characterised in that it further comprises a floating platform (12) on which are mounted the means for raising and lowering of the pod, means for supplying the breathing units with air and complementary audio means.
 23. Installation according to claim 22, characterised in that the means for supplying the units with air comprise compressed air bottles or a compressor.
 24. Installation according to claim 22, characterised in that the platform (12) is provided with means forming an extinguisher (12 a).
 25. Installation according to claim 14, characterised in that it comprises a plurality of pods (48, 50) each associated with means for raising and lowering and with one or several sets of breathing and audio units.
 26. Installation according to claim 14, characterised in that each pipe (36) is suspended from a buoy (36 c) or a boom.
 27. Installation according to claim 15, characterised in that the raising means comprise a set of cables (16) connected by one end to the pod and equipped at the opposite end with a counterweight (20) having a mass at least greater than that of the pod and of its occupants, and a winch (18) for control of the raising and the lowering of the pod.
 28. Installation according to claim 23, characterised in that the platform (12) is provided with means forming an extinguisher (12 a). 